In the mid-’60s, Mexican mariachi music ruled the airwaves in Yugoslavia. Singers sported charro suits and sombreros, typical mariachi garb, with typically Slavic names. Public Radio International has the story:

Sing along with the music that celebrates the ordinary working people who keep this country — and the world — in business: Look for the Union Label,Workin’ in a Coal Mine, This Land Is Your Land, and a stunning Leonard Cohen version of Solidarity Forever.[Mas…]

Sometimes homies Los Lobos sound like they are John Cougar Mellencamp’s or Tom Petty’s brothers from another mother. This is one of those times. These all-American stars sing all-American stories, like One Time, One Night in America. Respect.

Why, we asked ourselves, would these RelaxMusic people upload scores of allegedly ethnic or national background music videos to YouTube? If people play them as background audio, they will not be looking at — and clicking on — ads, so the uploaders will not make money. Is it a public service? Some kind alternative facts thing? We don’t know. On the other hand, you can enjoy two hours of uncredited, unnamed mariachi (and other Mexican) muzak right here.

Today marks the sad anniversary of “the day the music died,” the February 3, 1959 airplane crash that took the lives of rock stars Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Valens, from the L.A. suburb of Pacoima, was born Richard Steven Valenzuela and some consider him the father of Chicano rock. Pocho Valens […]

Folk/country singer songwriter Tish Hinojosa sings a song about a pilgrim’s progress in America — a Mexican pilgrim in Texas. Felipe, the father, lived in San Antonio, on The West Side of Town. That’s were Felipe met Maria… Los lyrics:

I wrote a little pep talk, for myself and for anyone else who needs one, as we wade through the fuckedness of all this. Catchy and short and angry and upbeat and exactly a minute long. [NSFW F-bomb.] [Music and art by METAFILTER main man CORTEX aka Josh Millard.]

Happy Labor Day! Sing along with the music that celebrates the ordinary working people who keep this country — and the world — in business: Look for the Union Label, Workin’ in a Coal Mine, This Land Is Your Land, and Solidarity Forever.

The country music legend Jim Reeves had a lot of big records, but we like this “half-fast” April 16, 1964 live-in-Norway version of his hit Adios Amigo. He died later that year behind the controls of a small plane that crashed in Tennessee during a violent thunderstorm. He was 40 years old.

Los Lonely Boys — three pochos from Texas — rock hard on this burning version of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic Born on the Bayou and make it SPANGLISH at the end. Here’s the backstory via Rolling Stone:

La Cumbia de Patricio Cobarde marches the hell out of the Imperial March, aka La Cumbia Imperial, from Star Wars. These are not los droids you’re looking for. Then there was the time a mariachi wedding band played the Super Mario Bros theme song.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Sing along with the music that celebrates the ordinary working people who keep this country — and the world — in business: Look for the Union Label, Workin’ in a Coal Mine,9 to 5, This Land Is Your Land, I’m Stickin’ to the Union and Solidarity Forever.